How sciatica hurts signs. Radiculitis. Radiculitis of the cervical, thoracic, sacral and lumbar regions. Symptoms, causes, diagnosis and treatment of the disease. How to treat sciatica - treatment with folk remedies, gymnastics, exercises, massage? How to cure

Speaking of radiculitis so familiar to us, we first of all mean back pain that arose for reasons unknown to us. In fact, the cause of the pain symptom in sciatica is irritation of the nerve root. Thus, sciatica is not an independent disease, but a consequence of the impact on this root of some processes. Therefore, if the treatment is focused only on eliminating the painful irritation itself, then sciatica cannot be cured.

Radiculitis: main causes and symptoms

Why is sciatica not limited to one attack, but comes back again and again and takes, as doctors say, a chronic form? This is due to the fact that patients try to treat only the symptoms, making their own diagnoses, not reaching the very essence of the problem and thereby not completing the treatment..

Sciatica and its treatment is actually not as simple a problem as it might seem. It can be based not on one disease, but on a number of diseases:

Almost 90% is DDP (degenerative-dystrophic process) by the type of osteochondrosis:

• Spondyloarthritis
• Spondylitis with bony marginal osteophytes

The radicular symptom in these processes occurs when the nerve is affected.:

• hernial protrusion
• growths
• walls of the central or lateral (foraminal) canals ( the narrowing of the channels itself is called stenosis)

Other causes of radiculopathy

• Osteoporosis (decrease in bone density, leading to gradual destructive changes in the spine)
• "Fresh" and old injuries
• Deforming changes (scoliosis, kyphosis, kyphoscoliosis)
• Muscle inflammation (myositis) caused by hypothermia and physical fatigue
• Tumors of the spine or spinal cord
• Infectious inflammatory processes in the spine
• Diseases of organs located in the zone of innervation of the spinal nerve

Therefore, the diagnosis of sciatica sometimes leads to completely unexpected "surprises" and requires a thorough study of the anamnesis..

Diagnostics

Of great importance is not only an examination and examination by a doctor with detailed questions about the accompanying symptoms, but also a more accurate diagnosis:

• in multiple projections
• Ultrasound examination
• Electroneuromyographic studies
• Densitometry and other methods

Symptoms of sciatica

Radiculitis has symptoms that are different in nature. This is not always only pain, which is not at all as terrible as many people think. A pain symptom suggests that the process has not yet started and is subject to treatment. If sciatica is already long-term and chronic, then the nerve that is “flagrant” due to constant irritation slowly begins to die, the red color of the inflammation disappears, and the nerve gradually turns white.

The ongoing processes with the nerves are externally accompanied by symptoms:

• Paresthesia (numbness, loss of sensation, tingling, goosebumps, burning, etc.
• Muscle weakness, paresis, weakening of tendon reflexes
• Violations of physiological processes (urination, defecation) - symptoms of damage to the "ponytail", the nerve bundle of the lumbosacral region

Usually, sciatica is associated with symptoms of pain in the lumbosacral region, which are of these types:

• Lumbago - sharp lumbago
• Sciatica is a sharp pain localized in the gluteal region and radiating for a long distance, along the posterior femoral muscles, the front of the lower leg, reaching the very feet.
  

  The reason for such a large pain zone in sciatica is the defeat of the largest nerve in our body, the sciatic

• Lumboischialgia is a pain symptom of a moderate type that occurs in the lower back and spreads like sciatica, but without connecting the toes.
  Lumbosciatica can also be aching or growing. Pain intensity increases with movement or exercise

Types of radiculopathy

We are all used to lumbar sciatica. However, there are still types of radiculopathy, depending on its manifestation in various vertebral sections:

• Cervical - in the cervical region
• Dorsal - in the chest

Symptoms of cervical sciatica:

• Discomfort and pain in the back of the head and neck
• Irradiation of painful sensations and phenomena of paresthesia in the shoulder-scapular, occipital region, arm
• Atrophy of the muscles of the upper limbs and weakening of the hand reflexes

Symptoms of thoracic sciatica

Thoracic sciatica is less common than other types and manifests late. More often it occurs in a mixed cervicothoracic form, developing after a cervical pathology.

Clinical signs:

• Pain in the thoracic region, often aggravated by inhalation or movement:
  dagger type, extending into the anterior part of the sternum, under the shoulder blade, into the arm
  If the pain occurs in the left side of the chest, then it is often confused with a heart
• Intercostal neuralgia - pain backache between the ribs and under the ribs that occurs with inflammation of the intercostal nerves.
  These signs are sometimes mistaken for respiratory diseases, pancreatitis or cholecystitis.

Treatment of sciatica

How should sciatica be treated? Isn't it enough just to take painkillers and calmly wait for the next attack?

Despite the fact that sciatica is a radicular syndrome, treatment should still go beyond the relief of pain irritation. And this means that sciatica must be treated in a complex way - just like we would treat osteochondrosis, hernia, trauma, displacement and any other disease that caused radiculopathy

The sooner we start treatment, before the onset of cauda equina syndrome, signs of loss of sensation and muscle weakness, the more likely it will be successful.

The first thing to do is to introduce temporary bed rest for an acute attack, for a period of two days to a week. By doing this, we will significantly reduce suffering by immobilizing the sick department.

Pain relief for sciatica

Speaking of anesthesia, here we will not discover anything new.

• In the arsenal of the usual means by which a patient needs to be treated, already familiar to us:
  • Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that block the synthesis of prostaglandins involved in the inflammatory process
  • Muscle relaxants - they are treated by relaxing muscle spasms
• For the treatment of particularly intense pain are prescribed:
  • Therapeutic blockades that reduce nerve conduction (with drugs of the novocaine group)
  • Corticosteroids injected into the epidural space
  • Narcotic drugs (used in extremely rare cases due to their great harm and danger of addiction)
• Pain management can also occur through the following methods:
  • Reducing swelling of the nerve roots and muscles by taking diuretics
  • Taking sedatives and antidepressants - pain relief occurs due to effects on the central nervous system
• There are many different ways to take medications:
  • injections, tablets, rectal suppositories, topical ointments, gels and patches

Other ways to treat sciatica

You can also treat sciatica in non-drug ways:

• By stretching the spine (dry and underwater)
• Acupuncture, manual therapy and massage
• With the help of physical therapy

What kind of drug to treat sciatica and how - the choice generally depends on the reasons that led to it.

• If stress was the culprit-
  Emphasis is placed on sedatives and antidepressants
• If a hernia, osteophytes, trauma or displacement is to blame-
  NSAIDs, novocaine paravertebral blockades, corticosteroids are used
• With radiculitis of a catarrhal nature and caused by overstrain, they often use:
  • massage, acupuncture
  • warming belts
  • rubbing with ointments
• With joint displacement and pain, medication is often useless, and the best that can be offered — this is the placement of the joint in place by an experienced osteopath (chiropractor)
• Pain manifestations in scoliosis are well eliminated with the help of:
  • Corrective asymmetric exercises

However, in all these specific cases, one thing is common:

With radicular syndrome, priority is given to medications. Only by eliminating acute pain at first, it is possible to treat sciatica in the future in other ways.
Massage or therapeutic exercises performed through pain can lead to chronic muscle spasms.

Back pain currently affects a large part of the population of our country. But most back diseases have very similar symptoms or they are interconnected with each other and manifest themselves in a complex way. Particular importance is attached to such an ailment as sciatica, its treatment is currently effective and favorable. So, what the disease is, what symptoms it accompanies and how it is treated, we will talk further.

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Features of the disease

What is sciatica and how is it treated? Radiculitis is a disease that is characterized by damage to the roots of the spinal cord. These lesions cause severe or moderate pain, decreased motor function and muscle mass. Also in the affected area there is a decrease in sensitivity and reflexes.

What is dangerous?

The question of how to cure sciatica is very important. If left untreated, it can lead to various complications. The most dangerous are ischemia and spinal cord infarction. Sciatica can occur in any part of the spine. It is important that acute sciatica is not a separate disease, but a consequence of any problems in your body.

There are several types of disease. This classification was carried out depending on which part of the spine the inflammation of the roots occurred:

1. Cervical. Your neck hurts on one side, gives to the shoulder girdle or shoulder on the same side. The pain is aggravated by movement.
2. Thoracic. There is pain in the back on one side, it spreads along the costal arch.
3. Lumbar. There is intense pain when bending over, it radiates to the buttock and the back of the leg. The pain is one-sided, burning and severe.

Causes

Radiculitis cannot just happen. This disease occurs due to some change in the body. The most common causes of sciatica:

1. Damage to nerve endings, tumors in the nervous system, compression of nerve channels. Often, an intervertebral hernia provokes the appearance of an ailment.
2. Osteochondrosis. This is the most common cause of the disease. Most of the people suffering from it have manifestations of sciatica.
3. Spinal injury.
4. High physical activity. Due to overstrain of the muscles, their further inflammation and squeezing is possible.
5. Stress.
6. Hypothermia, viral infections.
7. Age. It can be explained by the fact that over time, minerals are washed out of the body, and this leads to problems with the spine and nerves.

Symptoms of the disease

The main symptom is pain. To understand and identify sciatica, you need to understand what kind of pain you are experiencing:

• at first it is very sharp, you experience the so-called "lumbago";
• severe pain persists throughout the acute period;
• in the place where the root is inflamed, you experience a burning sensation;
• pain may increase or decrease. It depends on what state you are in (rest or exercise).

Signs of radiculitis are the so-called night pains, when the pain intensifies at night and does not calm down for a long time. Another characteristic symptom is a decrease in sensitivity in the area of ​​the affected root (for example, a violation of the extensor function of the fingers). Such symptoms of sciatica as dizziness that appear in the afternoon, headache, aggravated by tilting or turning, and nausea should alert. With lumbar sciatica, patients report pain in the lower abdomen and when urinating.

Diagnostics

The good news is that diagnosing the disease is easy. What to do with sciatica? Go to the doctor, he will quickly diagnose and prescribe treatment for sciatica. The main detection method is palpation. Thus, a focus of intense pain is revealed.

1. X-ray. He can involve different departments, make several projections. Gives a complete picture of what the pathology is.
2. Tomography. The advantage of this procedure is that it allows you to determine not only the degree of compression of the root, but also the cause.
3. Electromyography. Necessary for diagnosing nerves and how impulses pass through nerve fibers.
4. Blood analysis.

If the result and a quick recovery are important to you, then only a doctor can help with this. Which doctor treats sciatica? First of all, a neurologist.

To mitigate disturbing factors, you can use traditional medicine. Compresses are very popular, which should relieve inflammation. They may include garlic, chamomile, white clay, etc. A sciatica belt can also help alleviate your condition.

How is the treatment carried out?

Treatment of sciatica should be comprehensive, simultaneously affecting all areas. It is not enough, for example, to relieve the pain syndrome, because without proper full treatment, the pain will definitely return. How to quickly cure sciatica? There are many treatment options, and which one to choose, the doctor will tell you.

Particular attention should be paid to preventive measures:

• maintaining correct posture;
• back strengthening;
• choosing the right mattress and pillow;
• compliance with safety rules when lifting weights;
• avoiding awkward postures when sitting and standing;
• moderate but regular exercise and proper nutrition;
• sciatica belt.

The role of diet in illness cannot be underestimated, since proper nutrition (often, but in small portions) will contribute to the timely and high-quality assimilation of prescribed drugs. In addition, both a sick and a healthy person should regularly change their sitting posture. You can get up and do the simplest exercises or just walk.

Medical pain relief

Possibly with anti-inflammatory drugs. The most popular are Diclofenac and Ibuprofen. The doctor may prescribe medicine in the form of injections, tablets and ointments. It depends on the severity of the pain and the stage of the disease. Drugs are also needed to reduce spasms in the area of ​​the affected nerve root (these include Robaksin, Metacarbomol). To relieve swelling of nerve formations, diuretics are used.

Novocaine blockades are used if the pain cannot be tolerated and lighter drugs do not bring relief. Often they inject novocaine with vitamins, they perfectly relieve an attack of sciatica. A solution of novocaine is injected directly into the damaged area. The resolving effect is achieved with the help of Lidaza. It is also possible to use spot preparations based on dextrose, glycerin and water.

In the complex, B vitamins and soothing tablets can be prescribed. The former are necessary for the normal functioning of the nervous system, the latter are prescribed to relieve the moral burden in case of pain and stress.

Mechanical methods

They consist in applying a fixing bandage or a special corset. The essence of their use is that they fix the damaged area and protect against sudden movements. And for a favorable outcome of the disease, such rest is simply necessary. But you can’t wear such bandages all the time, as stagnation in the tissues and swelling are possible, so it’s better to take breaks.

This also includes a belt from sciatica. They are infrared, from animal hair, magnetic, from natural fur. A belt from sciatica is considered a fairly effective method of treatment. They wear it for a long time during the day, but breaks for rest are required.

Also effective:

Apitherapy

How to treat sciatica in this way? The healing properties of bee venom help the body release free reserves to fight the disease. Bee venom is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent that helps to fight pain. The use of this method must be approached with caution, as there are many contraindications, in particular, allergic reactions. However, the method is effective and helps effectively, the course of treatment is on average 10-20 sessions, which are recommended every other day.

ethnoscience

It can be effective, but is usually used in conjunction with traditional methods. Among the most common methods are a garlic compress and a salt compress. The belt from sciatica will increase the therapeutic effect of this method.

Surgical intervention

It is carried out infrequently, it consists in decompression of the spine. The operation is performed under general anesthesia. This method is used only if a pinched nerve is diagnosed. During the operation, the cause of the infringement is eliminated mechanically.

It is important to remember that if you are diagnosed with radiculitis, then you need to monitor the disease even during remission. The positive point is that the acute period of the disease is successfully cured. Doctors recommend taking preventive measures every 4-6 months. Be healthy!

Video "Symptoms and causes of sciatica"

This form explains in detail what are the causes of the disease and its symptoms.

Good day, dear readers!

In today's article, we will consider with you - sciatica, as well as its symptoms, causes, types, diagnosis, medical treatment and at home, medicines, folk remedies and prevention of sciatica. So…

What is sciatica?

Radiculitis- a pathological condition, or symptom, which is characterized by back pain.

Other names for the symptom are radiculopathy.

The main cause of radiculitis is a disease of the spine, which is expressed by a degenerative-dystrophic lesion of the intervertebral discs, and then the tissues of the vertebrae themselves. Other causes include back injuries, herniated discs and other pathologies.

The above reasons contribute to pinching or inflammation of the nerve root, which is part of the spinal nerve, which extends beyond the spinal column through the intervertebral foramina, which is why a person with sciatica feels back pain.

The localization of the spinal pain depends on the place where the inflammation of the nerve occurs, based on this, radiculitis of the lumbar, thoracic and cervical types is distinguished. In some cases, the pathology extends to more areas of the spine, which adds additional types of radiculopathy to the classification. In most cases, it is lumbar sciatica that occurs.

In addition to sharp, sudden pain in the back, symptoms of sciatica often become stiffness in movement and impaired sensitivity in the inflamed area.

The most frequent patients with sciatica are pensioners, professional athletes, as well as people with a sedentary lifestyle - office workers. Moreover, if earlier radiculopathy was observed mainly in people over 45 years old, now this pathology is “getting younger”, which indicates an increase in “sedentary ways of earning money, for example, at a computer.

Development of sciatica

To understand the principles of sciatica development, let's deviate a little towards human anatomy, in particular, to the structure of the spine.

The spinal column, or as we usually call it - the spine, is a flexible formation, consisting mainly of 33-34 vertebrae. All vertebrae are interconnected by intervertebral discs, arches, processes and ligamentous apparatus. Along the entire spine, between the bodies of the vertebrae, their arcs and processes emanating from the arcs, the spinal cord passes. Through the intervertebral foramina, located on the sides of each vertebrae, the spinal nodes and roots exit. Nerve endings emerge from the roots. To make it easier to understand, below you can see a picture that shows the structure of the spinal canal.

Now let's move on to considering the development of the sciatica itself.

With osteochondrosis, the destruction of the intervertebral discs occurs, resulting in a decrease in the distance between the vertebrae and direct contact between them. Over time, osteophytes grow on the edges of the vertebral bodies, developing as a result of friction against each other. This reduces the intervertebral foramen.

As a result of the above processes, osteophytes, when moving, begin to contact the spinal nodes, roots and nerve endings extending from them, infringing on them, because of which a person feels acute pain with recoil to other parts of the body (leg, shoulder, etc.), numbness and other unpleasant signs of sciatica. Over time, the roots become inflamed, and signs of sciatica accompany a person more and more often.

It should be noted that this process of development of sciatica is superficial, but the essence of the pathology, I think, is now becoming clearer for many.

Of course, there are cases when, instead of osteochondrosis, infringement of roots and nerve endings occurs with injuries, intervertebral hernias and other disorders, therefore, for accurate diagnosis and proper treatment, it is best to consult a doctor.

Radiculitis - ICD

ICD-10: M54.1;
ICD-9: 729.2.

Pain with sciatica- the main symptom of this pathology. Often, she appears suddenly, and by strength she is even able to squeeze tears into her eyes. Sometimes the pain becomes dull, for example, when bending the legs at the knees, when the body is in a supine position, but after a short period of time it can aggravate again and not go away until the person drinks an anesthetic.

The manifestation of pain occurs mainly with a certain movement, and the localization and character - from the place where the pathological process occurs. We will talk about the nature of pain in different types of sciatica a little later, in the classification of radiculopathy, but now let's look at other signs of sciatica.

Signs of sciatica

• Stiffness of movements, violation of normal gait;
• Reflex (unauthorized) bending of the leg at the knees when a person sits down or lies down;
• Numbness (loss of sensation) at the site of the inflammatory process;
• Burning and tingling sensation in soft tissues near inflammation;
• increased sweating;
• faces;
• Weakening of muscle tissue;
• Increased pain at night.

Other signs of sciatica include

• Hearing loss;
• Deterioration of visual function;
• Violations of the activity of the organs of the gastrointestinal and genitourinary systems.

Complications of sciatica

Complications of sciatica should be considered more as a complication of the disease that is the cause of sciatica.

Complications of sciatica include:

• Chronic back pain;
• Strokes of parts of the spinal cord;
• ischemia;
• Atrophy of the limbs;
• Paralysis of the lower extremities;
• Disability.

The main cause of sciatica is - and how this disease of the spine affects the development of radiculopathy, we said in the paragraph "Development of radiculitis".

Other causes of sciatica include:

• Herniated discs;
• Spinal injury;
• Spinal stenosis;
• Bone neoplasms (osteophytes) on the vertebrae;
• Rachiocampsis - , ;
• tumors;
• Presence in the body;

If we talk about the factors that contribute to the development of sciatica, we can distinguish:

• Sedentary lifestyle;
• Frequent dehydration of the body;
• Sleeping on an uncomfortable surface or position;
• Weight lifting.
• Violations of metabolic processes in the body;
• Hormonal changes;
• Eating a lot of salt as well.

Classification of sciatica

The classification of sciatica is as follows:

With the flow:

Sharp form. Pain occurs spontaneously and develops at lightning speed. Often only pain medication helps to get rid of pain. It usually occurs with overexertion or back injury.

Chronic form. It usually develops when the acute form is ignored, when the treatment consists only in the use of painkillers.

By localization:

cervical sciatica- characterized by pain in the cervical region, the back of the head. Especially the pain intensifies with sudden movements of the head - coughing. Due to the close distance to the head, inflammation or pinching of the nerve root can cause dizziness, deterioration in auditory or visual function, as well as impaired gait and coordination of movement.

Neck and shoulder sciatica- characterized by the same symptoms as cervical radiculopathy, only pain and numbness of the shoulders, shoulder blades and arms are added here. In the hands of the patient may also feel a burning sensation and tingling. Increased pain occurs when turning the head, hands.

Cervical-thoracic sciatica- characterized by the above symptoms, as well as back pain in the upper part of the thoracic region.

Thoracic sciatica- characterized by the back and intercostal space, with a return to the front of the chest. It occurs quite rarely.

Lumbar sciatica- manifests itself in the form of pain in the lumbar region, causing a certain stiffness in movement. May be accompanied by lumbago (lumbago).

sciatica- characterized by severe pain in the lower back, aggravated by walking or bending over, as well as the development of sciatica. Sciatica, in turn, is accompanied by pain when walking, which radiates to the buttock, back of the thigh, lower leg, and heel. Additionally, a person may feel numbness and "goosebumps" in the lower limb. May be accompanied by lumbago (lumbago).

Diagnosis of sciatica

Diagnosis of sciatica includes the following examination methods:

• Examination of the patient;
• Collection of anamnesis;
• Electromyography (EMG);
• Scintigraphy;
• Analysis of urine.

Treatment of sciatica

How to treat sciatica? Treatment of sciatica begins with a thorough diagnosis and precise determination of the causes and localization of the pathological process. Next, the doctor prescribes all the necessary funds and drugs.

Treatment for sciatica usually includes the following therapies:

1. Restriction of movement;
2. Drug treatment;
3. Physiotherapy;
4. Manual therapy;
5. Therapeutic exercise (exercise therapy);
6. Surgical treatment (if necessary).

Important! Before using drugs, be sure to consult your doctor!

1. Restriction of movement

During the treatment of the acute form of sciatica, or its chronic form in the acute stage, it is very important to provide the patient with the maximum restriction of motor activity. In some cases, splints or bandages are even applied for this, limiting his movements. It is also necessary that the patient is at rest. Rest should be on a flat surface, for which orthopedic mattresses are great in the modern world. If the mattress is wadded, to prevent sagging, a flat hard surface is placed under it, for example, a thick sheet of plywood. To fix a place with a damaged spine, if this is the cause of sciatica, the use of a special fixing corset is indicated.

2. Drug treatment of sciatica

Painkillers. They are prescribed for severe pain to stop them. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly used as pain relievers for sciatica.

Among NSAIDs, one can single out: Ambene, Dicloberl, Diclofenac, Dimexidum, "", "", "Ketonal", "Ketorol", "Milgamma", "Naproxen", "Nimesulide", novocaine blockade.

Among other painkillers can be identified: "Xefocam".

With severe pain, drugs are administered intravenously and intramuscularly.

An external anesthetic is an ointment for sciatica, which is usually based on bee or snake venom. To do this, rub the aching place well with this remedy and wrap it with a woolen scarf.

It is very important after stopping the pain syndrome to continue the treatment of sciatica and its causes, because. prolonged use of painkillers can cause a number of complications -, and, etc.

Antispasmodics. They are prescribed to relieve tension in muscle tissues, as well as to relieve spasms of the back muscles. However, it must be remembered that certain doses of antispasmodics are able to completely stop muscle activity, while a person will not even be able to fully breathe on his own.

Among antispasmodics, one can distinguish: Baclofen, Drotoverin, Myolastan, Sirdalud, Tubocurarine.

Antidepressants. They are prescribed for a long-term course of a painful condition and a deterioration in the mental and emotional components of the patient.

Among antidepressants, one can single out Azafen, Clomipramine, Trimipramine, Doxepin.

3. Physiotherapy

Physiotherapeutic procedures are aimed at eliminating tissue swelling in the spine, improving blood circulation, reducing pain and improving the functioning of the nerve channels of the spinal cord.

Among the physiotherapeutic procedures for sciatica, laser therapy, reflexology, ultrasound treatment (phonophoresis), the use of galvanic current, radon baths, mud applications, hot paraffin and other warm-ups can be distinguished.

4. Manual therapy

Manual therapy is a therapeutic massage, the purpose of which is to relieve muscle spasms, improve blood circulation, enlarge the intervertebral foramina and release the nerve roots from clamping, and, if necessary, align the displaced vertebrae. As a result of massage, not only the pain syndrome is reduced, and sometimes eliminated, but also the general condition of the damaged parts of the spine is normalized, which, together with other methods of therapy, contributes to the recovery of the patient.

5. Therapeutic exercise

Therapeutic exercise (exercise therapy) is aimed at normalizing the motor function of the spine. Usually, the doctor chooses the exercises, and their goal is to redistribute the load vectors on the spine. A set of exercises also increases the elasticity of muscle tissue and strengthens the human muscle corset. For exercise therapy, exercise equipment or special gymnastics are usually used.

Often the doctor recommends traction (traction) of the spine, which contributes to an increase in the intervertebral foramina and, accordingly, the release of the spinal roots and their nerves from clamping. However, remember that stretching the spine yourself, for example, on a horizontal bar, is highly discouraged, since you can only worsen the general condition of the patient.

6. Surgical treatment

Surgical treatment of sciatica is usually prescribed after 4 months of conservative therapy, if it has not led to the desired result, as well as in cases where the patient has movement coordination disorders, severe pain with low physical activity and loss of control over the activity of the intestines and bladder.

Among the surgical methods of therapy are:

Microdiscectomy - is used to remove the intervertebral disc, which presses on the vertebral nerve.

Laminectomy - used to remove bone formations that pinch a nerve

Important! Before using folk remedies against sciatica, be sure to consult your doctor!

Radiculitis is one of the most common diseases of the peripheral nervous system.
Sciatica is an inflammatory process that involves bundles of nerve fibers extending from the spinal cord. Nerve roots can be pinched as a result of careless movement or injury. This is also sciatica.

Sciatica (or radiculopathy) is not a disease, but a term. It denotes a combination of symptoms: pain in the cervical spine, numbness, tingling, muscle weakness.

Causes of radiculitis.

In 95% of cases, sciatica is a manifestation of untreated osteochondrosis, and in the remaining 5% it is the result of an old spinal injury, it is possible that intervertebral hernia, wear of the spinal column and especially intervertebral discs, compression or infringement of the roots of the spinal nerves by the vertebrae between which they are located. The cause of such compression is various spinal deformities, which, in turn, may be the result of osteochondrosis.
Stress, infection, metabolic disorders, heavy lifting and awkward movements can provoke an attack of sciatica.

Symptoms of sciatica.

The main symptom is pain. The location of the pain directly depends on the location of the injury to the spine.
Sciatica is characterized by severe pain in the back and neck, which persists both during movement and at rest.

The cause of radiculitis can be osteochondrosis, hypothermia, spinal injuries, sudden movements, and even intoxication of the body as a result of an infectious disease.

There are three types of sciatica:

• cervical,
• chest and
• lumbar.

cervical sciatica characterized by severe pain in the back of the head and neck. Pain is aggravated by any movement of the head, for example, when coughing. There were cases when patients had nausea, hearing loss, change in gait.

With cervicobrachial sciatica there are severe pains in the shoulders, neck and arms. With chest - pain encircles the chest.

sciatica- This is the most common type of sciatica.
It is also called sciatica. This causes pain in the hip, foot, buttocks. Occurs against the background of arthritis, compression fractures, hernias, stenosis of the spinal canal, etc.

Diagnosis of sciatica.

Diagnosis of the syndrome is usually complex. It includes:
- a study at the doctor's office of reflex activity and sensitivity,
- radiography, which makes it possible to establish the degree of changes in the spine,
- MRI, CT determines the presence of root compression,
- electromyography (EMG) - determination of the degree of damage to nerve fibers
Radiculitis can only be diagnosed by an enemy neuropathologist based on an x-ray.

TREATMENT OF RADICULITIS.

Medical treatment .
The task of drug treatment is to relieve inflammation, reduce swelling of the underlying tissues and reduce pain.

• Painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs in the form of tablets and injections.
  For example, from the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): Movalis, Ortofen, Nimesulide, Voltaren, Ibuprofen, etc.
• Painkillers, anti-inflammatory and warming agents.
  Can be applied locally ointments, creams:
  Bee or snake venom, Hot pepper tincture, "Sustamed" with bear fat, "Viprosal", containing viper poison with the addition of fir oil, camphor and other substances , B vitamins etc.
  After applying the medicine, you can carefully wrap the sore spot with a woolen scarf.
  Within 1-2 days it is important to observe complete rest. But don't abuse them.

Topical agents, painkillers and warming ointments with sciatica, they cannot be effective enough, since they do not penetrate into the joints and do not reach the nerve endings.

• Give good result physiotherapeutic procedures, baths, heating and massages, however, they should be used with extreme caution and only on the advice of a doctor.

It all depends on the cause of the sciatica. If the pain is caused by muscle spasm, a warm bath can alleviate the condition, and in the case of an inflammatory process, on the contrary, it will worsen. Massage in some cases can also do more harm than good, especially massage done by a non-professional.

Physiotherapy.
There are many physiotherapy techniques that improve blood circulation in the tissues adjacent to the root, reduce pain, and improve the conduction of impulses along nerve fibers.

Manual therapy and massage .
Helps relieve muscle blocks and muscle spasms.

IRT.
Acupuncture with the help of influence on biologically active
point helps to restore the process of conducting impulses along the nerve
fibers.

exercise therapy .
Dosed physical activity helps to restore
normal biomechanics of the spine and a normal stereotype of movements. With the help of exercises, it is often possible to relieve root compression due to the redistribution of load vectors.
Orthopedic products are of particular importance in the treatment and prevention of radiculopathy. This is about fixators of the lumbar spine, chest and lumbar corsets and orthopedic collars.

Prevention of sciatica is to prevent spinal injuries, hypothermia and drafts, timely treatment of infectious diseases. Physiotherapy exercises, playing sports within reasonable limits also contribute to the health of the back and serve as a prevention of sciatica.

A set of therapeutic exercises for radiculitis.

1. Put your feet together. Take your hands in the "castle" in front of the body. Raise your hands up, bend - inhale. Return to the starting position - exhale. Repeat 8-10 times.
2. Legs apart, lower your arms. Bend over with your cool leg and touch your knee - inhale. Straighten up - exhale. Repeat 5 times.
3. Legs apart, hands on the waist. Tilt the torso to the left, bending the right leg at the knee - exhale. Return to the starting position - inhale. 5 times in each direction.
4. Legs apart, on the width of the foot. Sit down. Stretch your arms forward - exhale. Straighten up, arms down - inhale. Repeat 8-10 times.
5. Lie on your back, arms along the body. Raise your left leg and arm at the same time - exhale. 6-7 times with each leg.
6. Kneel down, resting your palms on the floor. Raise up the straightened left leg, bend in the lower back - exhale. Lower - inhale. 5-6 times with each leg.
7. Legs together, arms along the body. Step gently and smoothly from toe to heel, and then stand on the whole foot. Hands simultaneously go one forward and up, the other back. Repeat 40-50 s.
8. Stand facing the chair, put the straight left leg on the seat, hands on the belt. Bend the left leg at the knee - exhale, unbend - inhale. Repeat 5 times in a row, then switch legs.
9. Sit on the edge of a chair, lean your hands on seat I from behind, do not bend your knees. Do "scissors" - moving your legs up and down without stopping.

Radiculitis is a disease of the nervous system in which the roots of the spinal nerves are affected. Radiculitis, the main symptom of which is pain in the neck or back (depending on such a lesion), can also be referred to in medical practice as radiculopathy.

general description

With sciatica, irritation of the nerves occurs, provoked by a lesion for one reason or another of the intervertebral disc. In particular, such a lesion may develop due to degeneration (or more simply, “wear and tear”) of the area of ​​​​the outer disc ring, due to damage due to trauma, or a combination of both of these causes. Due to the weakness of the outer ring, a characteristic arching develops, which is accompanied by the formation of a hernia. Because of this, in turn, the central part of the disk, being softer in nature, can break through (this happens through the outer disk ring), thereby coming into contact with the spinal cord or with its nerves emanating from the side of the spinal column . Irritation of the nerves from the cervical discs against the background of a degenerative disease is cervical radiculopathy.

They also distinguish banal radiculitis (this is discogenic radiculopathy), they consist in motor, pain and autonomic disorders that occur against the background of lesions of the spinal roots, which in particular occurs due to the relevance of such a disease in a patient as osteochondrosis of the spine.

Most often, the causes of sciatica are reduced to the influence of three main factors. In particular, this is the already noted osteochondrosis, herniated discs, as well as deforming spondylarthrosis. In addition to these factors, sciatica can also be triggered by certain diseases, such as tuberculosis, influenza, syphilis, brucellosis, rheumatism, cerebrospinal meningitis, tumors, neuroviral diseases of the radicular form (such as tick-borne encephalitis, etc.).

Radiculitis: symptoms

Symptoms of sciatica manifest themselves depending on the form of this disease, which is determined by the characteristics of the lesion in a particular area. In particular, sciatica can be cervical, thoracic or lumbosacral. In general, it can be noted that the main symptom of the disease is pain, focusing on one specific area and accompanied by systematic “backache”, a backache is understood as a sensation that resembles an electric shock in its manifestation. Later, such sensations as tingling and numbness, as well as a feeling of "goosebumps", noted in a certain area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe skin, also manifest themselves. The area of ​​innervation of the affected root is marked either by a decrease in sensitivity in it or its complete disappearance (this applies to sensitivity to temperature or pain effects).

Cervical sciatica: symptoms

With cervical sciatica, there is a lesion in the cervical nerves of the spinal roots. The main and first symptom of cervical sciatica is neck pain, which manifests itself with additional spread to the muscles of the hands, this pain is one-sided. The emerging pain is sudden in nature, it can be noted when trying to bend the patient's head. An increase in pain is noted with an unsuccessfully perfect movement of the head or with the same inclination.

The sleeping position is chosen with considerable difficulty, night rest may be accompanied by stabbing sharp soreness in the arms and neck. The possibility of some weakening of pain sensations is allowed, which is achieved due to accurate tilts or turns of the head. Hands with cervical sciatica can significantly lose their inherent muscle strength, which can reach a state of absolute loss of their sensitivity.

The disease begins mainly at the age of 40 years and older, in many cases the course is protracted, accompanied by periodic exacerbations.

Thoracic sciatica: symptoms

This form of the disease is characterized by the fact that the area of ​​localization, as is clear, is located in the thoracic vertebral region. This form is diagnosed less often than cervical or lumbar sciatica. The main manifestations of symptoms in this case are pain, numbness and tingling in the intercostal space. Muscle strength is also subject to changes - it, accordingly, is reduced. Thoracic sciatica is also accompanied by the need to bend towards the affected spine while keeping the body in the appropriate position, in addition, patients try to avoid any unnecessary movements that could increase pain.

The causes of this form of the disease lie in the impact, as a rule, of a viral infection (for example, it is herpes zoster), somewhat less often the cause of radiculitis is the processes of a degenerative-dystrophic nature (already noted osteochondrosis, deforming spondylarthrosis). The disease, in addition, can develop against the background of compression exerted on the roots of the spinal nerves by an adhesive or tumor process.

Lumbosacral sciatica (aka sciatica): symptoms

Most often, sciatica manifests itself in this form. The main age group is patients aged 30 to 50 years. Another characteristic feature of patients susceptible to the development of this disease is their professional activity, carried out in conditions of unfavorable temperatures. The area of ​​localization, as is clear from the allocation of a specific form of the name of the disease, corresponds to the lumbar spine.

Lumbar sciatica in some cases is also defined as "sciatica". This definition corresponds to such a lesion of the sciatic nerve region, due to which there are pronounced pain sensations of a unilateral nature of the manifestation from the side of the thigh or buttock. These pain sensations are sudden and sharp, due to the intensity of their manifestation, it is extremely difficult for the patient to find a comfortable position for their reduction. Against the background of unsuccessfully performed movements, the symptoms of sciatica may intensify, and it is also quite difficult to find a sleeping position. During a night's rest, pain of a shooting nature, noted in the lumbar region or in the leg, may appear. Here, too, there is a decrease in muscle strength in the legs, which in some cases reaches a complete loss of their sensitivity.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of radiculitis is made on the basis of the results of a number of studies that a doctor can prescribe in this area. These include in particular the following:

• radiography - an x-ray of the spine in lateral and direct projections, additionally, in accordance with the indications, an x-ray of the pelvis, hip joints and other areas can be taken;
• CT, MRI (computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging);
• densitometry;
• scintigraphy - a procedure for scanning the skeletal system of the spine;
• Ultrasound of the retroperitoneal space, pelvic organs and abdominal cavity;
• laboratory tests of blood, urine.

Treatment

The treatment of radiculitis must necessarily be comprehensive, which means that it should be focused not only on eliminating the symptoms that disturb the patient, but also on restoring adequate mobility of the vertebrae, combined with ensuring their proper functioning within the framework of the impact.

It is a generally recognized fact in the treatment of sciatica that it is necessary to provide a sparing home regimen. At the same time, staying in bed for longer than 2-5 days is highly discouraged - due to the early onset of physical activity in combination with the gradual resumption of the standard physiological load, an earlier recovery of patients is achieved.

As for the concomitant recovery according to such a scheme of drug treatment, it is based on the use of anti-inflammatory drugs (for example, Diclofenac, Ortofen, etc.), B-group vitamins, painkillers, local warming agents. In addition to drugs in the treatment of sciatica, methods of physiotherapy (dynamic current, electrophoresis, etc.) are also used.

Treatment of the disease in the early stages may be the local application of cold or dry heat. Cold in this case is applied in the form of an ice pack applied to the lower back several times a day for up to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, both heat and cold are measures of individual effectiveness, that is, one of the options helps one patient, the other, respectively, the other, everything is strictly individual. Fixation of the area of ​​the lower body (lumbar bandage or circular tight bandage) can help in pain relief.

A separate place is occupied in the treatment of manual therapy, as well as physiotherapy exercises and therapeutic massage. Folk remedies for sciatica, with all their diversity, are mainly aimed at eliminating symptoms, more precisely, at eliminating pain.

Rubbing and ointments also play an essential role in the treatment, the only thing is that this procedure must be carried out correctly. So, when rubbing, it is necessary that the hands of the one who conducts it are warm. The sore spot is stroked upwards for about 10-20 minutes, if the pain is too intense in manifestation, then rubbing is carried out for about 5 minutes. Next, the sore spot needs to be “insulated”, wrapped up for warming up.

Treatment and prevention of the development of complications require the exclusion of sudden movements (tilts, turns), heavy lifting, prolonged unilateral loads and motionless sitting. It is also necessary to exclude hypothermia.

If symptoms appear that indicate a possible sciatica, it is necessary to contact a general practitioner and a neuropathologist (neurologist).

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